Many companies are discontinuing support for their check processing equipment, such as check sorting machines. You may have received a notice from your original equipment manufacturer (OEM) telling you they’ll be phasing out support for your equipment. Unfortunately, this isn’t a problem for older models alone, either.
The reasoning is that checks are now on the decline, but many businesses are still processing a high volume of checks. In fact, the US Federal Reserve reported that nearly $30 billion in checks was processed in 2015.
If your OEM has announced the end of support for your equipment, you may be wondering how to prolong the life of your check sorting machine. After all, you’re going to need remittance processing long after 2020 arrives. Follow these steps to keep your machines in good working order longer.
Check Sorting Machine Preventative Maintenance Keeps Remittance Processing Moving
The very first step to take is something that you should have been doing all along. You should implement a preventative maintenance program for your check sorting machine.
Preventative maintenance helps prolong the life of your machine. Since you planned to keep handling remittance processing even before your OEM announced the end of support, you should have been focused on maintaining the machine anyway.
Preventative maintenance can be as simple as cleaning the machine on a regular basis. It may also involve changing parts or updating software.
Staying on top of these small tasks could help prevent larger issues down the line.
Find a Vendor to Supply Service and Parts
Since your OEM was servicing your check sorting machine, you may not have thought much about where you’d find a technician to service the machine. You might not have considered where parts would come from if it needed to be fixed.
Now you’re wondering where you’ll find the right people to service your particular machine or even where you’ll find parts when the machine breaks down.
Your OEM isn’t the only supplier of parts and service. Do a little bit of research and discover the different vendors who are able to both service the machine and supply you with replacement parts.
Many vendors service more than one manufacturer’s check sorting machines, and they have access to a larger stock of parts. You’ll be in good hands with a third-party vendor.
Partner with a Vendor for Preventative Maintenance
Another service a third-party vendor can often supply is a preventative maintenance program. While you may still need to do day-to-day cleaning and maintenance, the provider can schedule service calls.
In doing so, they can keep tabs on your check sorting machine and make sure it’s functioning well. It then becomes easier to solve small problems before they become large ones.
In this way, you could make sure remittance processing is always on time and easy to conduct. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
How to Find the Right Partner
Looking beyond your OEM to service your remittance processing equipment might feel overwhelming. You may not know where to begin your search. When you start researching, you’re likely to find many different service providers.
How do you know who will be the best fit for your needs?
Make sure you consider a few factors, including how long the vendor has been in business and how many manufacturers’ machines they service. You should also ask about their access to parts. Finally, be sure to evaluate their preventative maintenance programs and their commitment to customer service.
